Angie Dickinson
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Angeline Dickinson (née Brown; born September 30, 1931) is an American actress. She began her career on television, appearing in many anthology series during the 1950s, before gaining her breakthrough role in ''
Gun the Man Down ''Gun the Man Down'' is a 1956 Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring James Arness and Angie Dickinson in her first leading role. The film was produced by Robert E. Morrison for his brother John Wayne's company Batjac Producti ...
'' (1956) with
James Arness James Arness (born James King Aurness; May 26, 1923 – June 3, 2011) was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the CBS television series '' Gunsmoke''. Arness has the distinction of having played the ...
and the Western film '' Rio Bravo'' (1959), for which she received the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year. In her six-decade career, Dickinson has appeared in more than 50 films, including '' China Gate'' (1957), ''
Ocean's 11 ''Ocean's 11'' is a 1960 American heist film directed and produced by Lewis Milestone from a screenplay by Harry Brown and Charles Lederer, based on a story by George Clayton Johnson and Jack Golden Russell. The film stars five of the Rat Pack ...
'' (1960), ''
The Sins of Rachel Cade ''The Sins of Rachel Cade'' is a 1961 drama film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Angie Dickinson in the title role as well as Peter Finch and Roger Moore. Plot During World War II, Protestant medical missionary Rachel comes to the villag ...
'' (1961), '' Jessica'' (1962), '' Captain Newman, M.D.'' (1963), ''
The Killers The Killers are an American rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingd ...
'' (1964), '' The Art of Love'' (1965), '' The Chase'' (1966), ''
Point Blank Point-blank range is any distance over which a certain firearm can hit a target without the need to compensate for bullet drop, and can be adjusted over a wide range of distances by sighting in the firearm. If the bullet leaves the barrel paral ...
'' (1967), ''
Pretty Maids All in a Row ''Pretty Maids All in a Row'' is a 1971 American sexploitation film that is part black comedy, part sex comedy, and part murder mystery. Starring Rock Hudson, Angie Dickinson, and Telly Savalas, it was released on April 28, 1971. Roger Vadim dire ...
'' (1971), ''
The Outside Man ''The Outside Man'' (French: ''Un homme est mort'') is a 1972 French-Italian thriller set in Los Angeles, directed by Jacques Deray and starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Ann-Margret, Roy Scheider, and Angie Dickinson. Plot A contract on the life ...
'' (1972), and ''
Big Bad Mama ''Big Bad Mama'' is a 1974 American action-crime- sexploitation comedy movie produced by Roger Corman, starring Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, and Tom Skerritt, with Susan Sennett and Robbie Lee. This movie is about a mother, Wilma (played by ...
'' (1974). From 1974 to 1978, Dickinson starred as Sergeant "Pepper" Anderson in the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
crime series '' Police Woman'', for which she received the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama is a Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The award honors the best performance by an actress in a drama television series. I ...
and three
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leadi ...
nominations. As lead actress, she starred in
Brian De Palma Brian Russell De Palma (born September 11, 1940) is an American film director and screenwriter. With a career spanning over 50 years, he is best known for his work in the suspense, crime and psychological thriller genres. De Palma was a leading ...
's erotic crime thriller '' Dressed to Kill'' (1980), for which she received a
Saturn Award for Best Actress The Saturn Award for Best Actress is one of the annual Saturn Awards given by the American professional organization, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. The Saturn Awards are the oldest film-specialized reward of achievements ...
. During her later career, Dickinson starred in several television movies and miniseries, also playing supporting roles in films such as '' Even Cowgirls Get the Blues'' (1994), ''
Sabrina Sabrina may refer to: * Sabrina (given name), a feminine given name, including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name People * Sabrina (actress), stage name of Norma Ann Sykes (1936–2016), a British glamour model and actres ...
'' (1995), ''
Pay It Forward Pay it forward is an expression for describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying the kindness to others instead of to the original benefactor. The concept is old, but the particular phrase may have been coined by Lily Hardy Hammond in her 1 ...
'' (2000), and ''
Big Bad Love ''Big Bad Love'' is a 2001 film directed by Arliss Howard, who co-wrote the script with his brother, James Howard, based on a collection of short stories of the same name by Larry Brown.Kulm, North Dakota Kulm is a city in LaMoure County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 368 at the 2020 census. Kulm was founded in 1892. Geography Kulm is located at (46.301844, -98.948135). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city ha ...
, the daughter of Fredericka (née Hehr) and Leo Henry Brown. Her family was descended from
Germans from Russia The German minority population in Russia, Ukraine, and the Soviet Union stemmed from several sources and arrived in several waves. Since the second half of the 19th century, as a consequence of the Russification policies and compulsory military ...
and she was raised
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. Her father was a small-town newspaper publisher and editor, working on the ''Kulm Messenger'' and the ''Edgeley Mail''. She fell in love with movies at an early age, as her father was also the projectionist at the town's only movie theater until it burned down."I grew up going to movies, my daddy was the projectionist, so we got in for free.
Interview
with
Mo Rocca Maurice Alberto Rocca (born January 28, 1969) is an American humorist, journalist, and actor. He is a correspondent for ''CBS Sunday Morning'', the host and creator of ''My Grandmother's Ravioli'' on the Cooking Channel, and also the host of '' Th ...
for profile on ''
CBS Sunday Morning ''CBS News Sunday Morning'' (normally shortened to ''Sunday Morning'' on the program itself since 2009) is an American news magazine television program that has aired on CBS since January 28, 1979. Created by Robert Northshield and original host ...
'', aired February 24, 2019.
In 1942, when she was 10 years old, the Brown family moved to
Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, w ...
, where Angie attended
Bellarmine-Jefferson High School Bellarmine-Jefferson High School was a private, Roman Catholic high school in Burbank, California. It was located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The school was reopened in 2019 as St. John Paul II STEM Academy, which later clo ...
, graduating in 1947 at age 15. The previous year, she had won the Sixth Annual Bill of Rights essay contest. She then studied at
Immaculate Heart College Immaculate Heart College was a private, Catholic college located in Los Angeles, California. The college offered various courses including art and religious education studies. By June 1906, six young women had become the first graduates of the ...
, Los Angeles, and at Glendale Community College, becoming a business graduate by 1954. Taking a cue from her publisher father, she had intended to be a writer. While a student during 1950–52, she worked as a secretary at Lockheed Air Terminal in Burbank (now
Bob Hope Airport Hollywood Burbank Airport, legally and formerly marketed as Bob Hope Airport after entertainer Bob Hope , is a public airport northwest of downtown Burbank, in Los Angeles County, California, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. ef ...
) and in a parts factory. She became Angie Dickinson in 1952, when she married football player Gene Dickinson.


Career


Early career

Dickinson came in second at a local preliminary for the
Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...
contest, and that got the attention of a casting agent, who landed her a spot as one of six showgirls on ''The Jimmy Durante Show''. The exposure brought her to the attention of a television-industry producer, who asked her to consider a career in acting. She studied the craft and a few years later was approached by NBC to guest-star on a number of variety shows, including ''
The Colgate Comedy Hour ''The Colgate Comedy Hour'' was an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show featured many notable comedians and entertainers of the era as guest stars. Many of the scripts of the series ...
''. She soon met
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
, who became a lifelong friend. She was later cast as Sinatra's wife in the film ''
Ocean's 11 ''Ocean's 11'' is a 1960 American heist film directed and produced by Lewis Milestone from a screenplay by Harry Brown and Charles Lederer, based on a story by George Clayton Johnson and Jack Golden Russell. The film stars five of the Rat Pack ...
'' (1960). On New Year's Eve 1954, Dickinson made her television acting debut in an episode of ''
Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...
''. This led to roles in such productions as ''
Matinee Theatre ''Matinee Theater'' is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of Television, from October 31, 1955, to June 27, 1958. Its name is often seen as ''Matinee Theatre''. The series, which ran daily from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. E ...
'' (eight episodes), '' Buffalo Bill, Jr.'', '' City Detective'', '' It's a Great Life'' (two episodes), '' Gray Ghost'', ''
General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...
'', '' Broken Arrow'', '' The People's Choice'' (twice), '' Meet McGraw'' (twice), ''
Northwest Passage The Northwest Passage (NWP) is the sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The eastern route along the Arct ...
'', ''
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
'', '' The Virginian'', ''
Tombstone Territory ''Tombstone Territory'' is an American Western series starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham. The series' first two seasons aired on ABC from 1957 to 1959. The first season was sponsored by Bristol-Myers (consumer products) and the second seaso ...
'', ''
Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...
'', and ''
The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an ...
''. In 1956, Dickinson appeared in an episode of ''
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before ''Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely base ...
''. The next year, she took another small role in
Richard Boone Richard Allen Boone (June 18, 1917 – January 10, 1981) was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns, including his starring role in the television series ''Have Gun – Will Travel''. Early lif ...
's series ''
Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Western series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number t ...
'' in the episode "A Matter of Ethics". In 1958, she was cast as Laura Meadows in the episode "The Deserters" of an ABC/
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
Western series, '' Colt .45'', with
Wayde Preston Wayde Preston (born William Erksine Strange; September 10, 1929 – February 6, 1992) was an American actor cast from 1957 to 1960 in the lead role in 67 episodes of the American Broadcasting Company, ABC/Warner Bros. Western (genre), Western ...
. That year, she also played the role of defendant Mrs. Fargo in the ''
Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...
'' episode "The Case of the One-Eyed Witness". Dickinson went on to create memorable characters in ''
Mike Hammer Michael Hammer or Mike Hammer may refer to: *Michael Armand Hammer (1955–2022), American philanthropist and businessman *Michael Martin Hammer (1948–2008), engineer and author *Mike Hammer (character), a fictional hard boiled detective ** ''Mick ...
'', ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...
'', and '' Men into Space''. In 1965, she had a recurring role as Carol Tredman on NBC's ''
Dr. Kildare Dr. James Kildare is a fictional American medical doctor, originally created in the 1930s by the author Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. Shortly after the character's first appearance in a magazine story, Paramount Pictur ...
''. She had a role as the duplicitous murder conspirator in a 1964 episode of '' The Fugitive'' series with
David Janssen David Janssen (born David Harold Meyer) (March 27, 1931February 13, 1980) was an American film and television actor who is best known for his starring role as Richard Kimble in the television series '' The Fugitive'' (1963–1967). Janssen also ...
and fellow guest star
Robert Duvall Robert Selden Duvall (; born January 5, 1931) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career spans more than seven decades and he is considered one of the greatest American actors of all time. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, four Gold ...
. She was at her evil best as an unfaithful wife and bank robber in the 1958 "Wild Blue Yonder" episode of Rod Cameron's syndicated television series '' State Trooper''. She starred in two ''
Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...
'' episodes, "Captive Audience" with James Mason on October 18, 1962, and "Thanatos Palace Hotel" on February 1, 1965. Dickinson's motion-picture career began with a small, uncredited role in '' Lucky Me'' (1954) starring
Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...
, followed by ''The Return of Jack Slade'' (1955), ''
Man with the Gun ''Man with the Gun'' is a 1955 American black and white Western film starring Robert Mitchum. The film was released in the United Kingdom as ''The Trouble Shooter'' and is also sometimes entitled ''Deadly Peacemaker''. The supporting cast inclu ...
'' (1955) and ''Hidden Guns'' (1956). She had her first starring role in ''
Gun the Man Down ''Gun the Man Down'' is a 1956 Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring James Arness and Angie Dickinson in her first leading role. The film was produced by Robert E. Morrison for his brother John Wayne's company Batjac Producti ...
'' (1956) with
James Arness James Arness (born James King Aurness; May 26, 1923 – June 3, 2011) was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the CBS television series '' Gunsmoke''. Arness has the distinction of having played the ...
, followed by the
Sam Fuller Samuel Michael Fuller (August 12, 1912 – October 30, 1997) was an American film director, screenwriter, novelist, journalist, and World War II veteran known for directing low-budget genre movies with controversial themes, often made ou ...
cult film '' China Gate'' (1957), which depicted an early view of the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. Rejecting the
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
/
Jayne Mansfield Jayne Mansfield (born Vera Jayne Palmer; April 19, 1933 – June 29, 1967) was an American actress, singer, nightclub entertainer, and ''Playboy'' Playmate. A sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s while under contract at 20th Century Fox, Man ...
style of platinum blonde sex symbolism, because she felt it would narrow her acting options, Dickinson initially allowed studios to lighten her naturally brunette hair to only honey-blonde. She appeared early in her career mainly in B-movies or Westerns, including ''
Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend ''Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Richard L. Bare and starring Randolph Scott, James Craig, Angie Dickinson and James Garner. James Garner, who had a small role, said "it was always fun working with Di ...
'' (1957), in which she co-starred with
James Garner James Garner (born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor. He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, including '' The Great Escape'' (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy Chayefsky's ''The Ameri ...
. In the crime drama '' Cry Terror!'' (1958), Dickinson had a supporting role opposite James Mason and
Rod Steiger Rodney Stephen Steiger (; April 14, 1925July 9, 2002, aged 77) was an American actor, noted for his portrayal of offbeat, often volatile and crazed characters. Cited as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic and dynamic stars," he is closely assoc ...
as a ''
femme fatale A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...
''.


Leading lady

Dickinson's big-screen breakthrough role came in
Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American director who is not a household name." A v ...
' '' Rio Bravo'' (1959), in which she played a flirtatious gambler called "Feathers", who becomes attracted to the town sheriff played by Dickinson's childhood idol
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...
. The film co-starred
Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...
,
Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician, songwriter and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he bega ...
, and
Walter Brennan Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor and singer. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in '' Come and Get It'' (1936), ''Kentucky'' (1938), and '' The Westerner ...
. When Hawks sold his personal contract with her to a major studio without her knowledge, she was unhappy. Dickinson nonetheless became one of the more prominent leading ladies of the next decade, beginning with '' The Bramble Bush'' with
Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...
. She also took a supporting role in ''Ocean's 11'' (1960) with friends Sinatra and Martin. These were followed by a political
potboiler A potboiler or pot-boiler is a novel, play, opera, film, or other creative work of dubious literary or artistic merit, whose main purpose was to pay for the creator's daily expenses—thus the imagery of "boil the pot", which means "to provide one ...
, ''
A Fever in the Blood ''A Fever in the Blood'' is a 1961 American courtroom drama, produced and distributed by Warner Brothers. The film features a roster of the studio's television contract players, often miscast according to the film's producer and screenwriter Roy ...
'' (1961); a Belgian Congo-based melodrama, ''
The Sins of Rachel Cade ''The Sins of Rachel Cade'' is a 1961 drama film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Angie Dickinson in the title role as well as Peter Finch and Roger Moore. Plot During World War II, Protestant medical missionary Rachel comes to the villag ...
'' (1961), in which she played a missionary nurse tempted by lust; a scheming woman in ''
Rome Adventure ''Rome Adventure'', also known as ''Lovers Must Learn'', is a 1962 romantic drama film, based on the 1932 novel ''Lovers Must Learn'' by Irving Fineman. It was directed by Delmer Daves and stars Troy Donahue, Angie Dickinson, and Suzanne Pleshet ...
'' (1962), filmed in Italy; and the title role in Jean Negulesco's '' Jessica'' (1962) with
Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", "Louise", " Mimi", and "Thank Hea ...
, in which she played a young midwife resented by the married women of the town, set in
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
. Angie also shared the screen with friend
Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...
as a military nurse in the dark comedy '' Captain Newman, M.D.'' (1963). For ''
The Killers The Killers are an American rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingd ...
'' (1964), originally intended to be the first made-for-television movie, but released to theaters due to its violent content, Dickinson played a ''femme fatale'' opposite future U.S. President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
in his last movie role. Directed by
Don Siegel Donald Siegel ( ; October 26, 1912 – April 20, 1991) was an American film and television director and producer. Siegel was described by ''The New York Times'' as "a director of tough, cynical and forthright action-adventure films whose taut ...
, it was a remake of the 1946 version based on a story by
Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fic ...
and the only film Reagan made in which he was cast as a villain. He viciously slaps Dickinson in one of the film's scenes. Dickinson co-starred in the comedy '' The Art of Love'' (1965), playing the love interest of both James Garner and
Dick Van Dyke Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an American actor, entertainer and comedian. His award-winning career has spanned seven decades in film, television, and stage. Van Dyke began his career as an entertainer on radio and telev ...
. She joined a star-studded
Arthur Penn Arthur Hiller Penn (September 27, 1922 – September 28, 2010) was an American director and producer of film, television and theater. Closely associated with the American New Wave, Penn directed critically acclaimed films throughout the 19 ...
/
Sam Spiegel Samuel P. Spiegel (November 11, 1901December 31, 1985) was an American independent film producer born in the Galician area of Austria-Hungary. Financially responsible for some of the most critically acclaimed motion pictures of the 20th centur ...
production, '' The Chase'' (1966), along with
Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
,
Jane Fonda Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress, activist, and former fashion model. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of various accolades including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, sev ...
,
Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford, recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Awards, Academy Award from four nomi ...
, and
Robert Duvall Robert Selden Duvall (; born January 5, 1931) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career spans more than seven decades and he is considered one of the greatest American actors of all time. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, four Gold ...
. That same year, she was featured in ''
Cast a Giant Shadow ''Cast a Giant Shadow'' is a 1966 big-budget action film based on the life of Colonel Mickey Marcus, and stars Kirk Douglas, Senta Berger, Yul Brynner, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and Angie Dickinson. Melville Shavelson adapted, produced and dire ...
'', a war story with
Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Do ...
. Dickinson's best movie of this era is reputed to be
John Boorman Sir John Boorman (; born 18 January 1933) is a British film director, best known for feature films such as ''Point Blank'' (1967), ''Hell in the Pacific'' (1968), ''Deliverance'' (1972), ''Zardoz'' (1974), '' Exorcist II: The Heretic'' (1977), ...
's cult classic ''
Point Blank Point-blank range is any distance over which a certain firearm can hit a target without the need to compensate for bullet drop, and can be adjusted over a wide range of distances by sighting in the firearm. If the bullet leaves the barrel paral ...
'' (1967), a crime drama with
Lee Marvin Lee Marvin (born Lamont Waltman Marvin Jr.; February 19, 1924August 29, 1987) was an American film and television actor. Known for his bass voice and premature white hair, he is best remembered for playing hardboiled "tough guy" characters. Alth ...
as a criminal betrayed by his wife and best friend and out for revenge. The film epitomized the stark urban mood of the period, and its reputation has grown through the years. Westerns continued to be a part of her work in the late 1960s, when she starred in '' The Last Challenge'' opposite
Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as ...
, in ''
Young Billy Young ''Young Billy Young'' is a 1969 Western film in Deluxe Color starring Robert Mitchum and featuring Angie Dickinson, Robert Walker Jr. (in the titular role), David Carradine, Jack Kelly (who plays a villain dressed like his character in the tel ...
'' with
Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He rose to prominence with an Academy Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor for ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' (1945), followed by his starring in ...
, and ''
Sam Whiskey ''Sam Whiskey'' is a 1969 American Western comedy film directed in DeLuxe Color by Arnold Laven and starring Burt Reynolds, Angie Dickinson, Clint Walker and Ossie Davis. "Way ahead of its time," said Reynolds of the film. "I was playing light ...
'', where she gave rising star
Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...
his first on-screen kiss. In 1971, she played a lascivious substitute high-school teacher in the dark comedy ''
Pretty Maids All in a Row ''Pretty Maids All in a Row'' is a 1971 American sexploitation film that is part black comedy, part sex comedy, and part murder mystery. Starring Rock Hudson, Angie Dickinson, and Telly Savalas, it was released on April 28, 1971. Roger Vadim dire ...
,'' which also starred Rock Hudson and
Telly Savalas Aristotelis "Telly" Savalas (January 21, 1922 – January 22, 1994) was an American actor and singer whose career spanned four decades. Noted for his bald head and deep, resonant voice, he is perhaps best known for portraying Lt. Theo Kojak on th ...
, for director
Roger Vadim Roger Vadim Plemiannikov (; 26 January 1928 – 11 February 2000) was a French screenwriter, film director and producer, as well as an author, artist and occasional actor. His best-known works are visually lavish films with erotic qualities, su ...
and writer-producer
Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter, producer, and creator of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', its sequel spin-off series ''Star Trek: The Animated Series,'' and ''Sta ...
. In the film, her character seduces a sexually inexperienced student, portrayed by
John David Carson John David Carson (born John Franklin Carson; March 6, 1952 – October 27, 2009) was an American actor. He was born in Los Angeles, California. Career Carson began his career at a young age, acting in television advertisements, and later doin ...
, against the backdrop of a series of murders of female students at the same high school. ''Pretty Maids All In A Row'' drew hostile critical reviews, and was a box-office failure. Also in 1971, she portrayed the ambitious wife of
Robert Culp Robert Martin Culp (August 16, 1930 – March 24, 2010) was an American actor widely known for his work in television. Culp earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on ''I Spy'' (1965–1968), the espionage television se ...
in the television movie ''See the Man Run''. In ''
The Outside Man ''The Outside Man'' (French: ''Un homme est mort'') is a 1972 French-Italian thriller set in Los Angeles, directed by Jacques Deray and starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Ann-Margret, Roy Scheider, and Angie Dickinson. Plot A contract on the life ...
'' (1972), a French movie shot in Los Angeles, with
Jean-Louis Trintignant Jean-Louis Xavier Trintignant (; 11 December 1930 – 17 June 2022) was a French actor. He made his theatrical debut in 1951, and went on to be regarded as one of the best French dramatic actors of the post-war era. He starred in many classic fi ...
, directed by
Jacques Deray Jacques Deray (born Jacques Desrayaud; 19 February 1929 – 9 August 2003) was a French film director and screenwriter. Deray is prominently known for directing many crime and thriller films. Biography Born Jacques Desrayaud in Lyon, France, in 1 ...
, she plays the wife of a mobster. In 1973, she co-starred with
Roy Thinnes Roy Thinnes (born April 6, 1938) is an American television and film actor best known for his portrayal of lonely hero David Vincent in the ABC 1967–68 television series ''The Invaders''. He starred in the 1969 British science fiction film ''J ...
in the supernatural thriller''
The Norliss Tapes ''The Norliss Tapes'' is a 1973 American made-for-television horror film directed by Dan Curtis and written by William F. Nolan, starring Roy Thinnes and Angie Dickinson. Framed through a series of tapes left behind by the missing Norliss, an i ...
'', a television movie produced and directed by
Dan Curtis Dan Curtis (born Daniel Mayer Cherkoss; August 12, 1927 – March 27, 2006) was an American director, writer, and producer of television and film, known among fans of horror films for his afternoon TV series ''Dark Shadows'' (1966–1971) and ...
that in later years attained a modest cult following. One of Dickinson's best-known and most sexually provocative movie roles followed, that of the tawdry widow Wilma McClatchie from the Great Depression romp ''
Big Bad Mama ''Big Bad Mama'' is a 1974 American action-crime- sexploitation comedy movie produced by Roger Corman, starring Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, and Tom Skerritt, with Susan Sennett and Robbie Lee. This movie is about a mother, Wilma (played by ...
'' (1974) with
William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...
and
Tom Skerritt Thomas Roy Skerritt (born August 25, 1933) is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962. He is known for his film roles in ''M*A*S*H'', ''Alien'', '' The Dead Zone'', '' Top Gun'', '' A ...
. In her 40s at the time, she appeared nude in several scenes, which created interest in the movie and a new generation of male fans for Dickinson. A 1966 ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' cover gained Dickinson additional fame and notoriety, her having posed in nothing but a sweater and a pair of panty hose. The photo became so iconic, that while celebrating the magazine's 70th anniversary in 2003, the Dickinson pose was recreated for the cover by
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
.


''Police Woman''

At age 42, Dickinson returned to the small screen in March 1974 for an episode of the critically acclaimed hit anthology series '' Police Story''. The guest appearance proved to be so popular, NBC offered Dickinson her own television show, which became a ground-breaking weekly series called ''Police Woman''; it was the first successful dramatic TV series to feature a woman in the title role. At first, Dickinson was reluctant, but when producers told her she could become a household name, she accepted the role. They were right. It co-starred
Earl Holliman Henry Earl Holliman (born September 11, 1928) is an American actor, animal-rights activist, and singer known for his many character roles in films, mostly Westerns and dramas, in the 1950s and 1960s. He won a Golden Globe Award for the film '' ...
as Sergeant Bill Crowley, Anderson's commanding officer, along with
Charles Dierkop Charles Richard Dierkop (born September 11, 1936) is an American character actor. He is most recognized for his supporting roles in the films '' Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' (1969) and ''The Sting'' (1973) and the television series ''Po ...
as investigator Pete Royster and
Ed Bernard Ed Bernard (born July 4, 1939) is an American actor best known for his roles as Detective Joe Styles on '' Police Woman'', Principal Jim Willis on '' The White Shadow'', and as Lieutenant Bill Giles on ''Hardcastle and McCormick''. Career Be ...
as investigator Joe Styles. In the series, Dickinson played Sergeant "Pepper" Anderson, an officer of the
Los Angeles Police Department The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-large ...
's Criminal Conspiracy Unit, who often works undercover. The series became a hit, reaching number one in many countries in which it aired during its first year. It ran for four seasons and Dickinson won a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
, and received
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nominations for Best Lead Actress in a Dramatic Series three consecutive years. However, in a 2019 interview, Dickinson said that she regretted having done the series, since the remuneration was inadequate and it left her with little time for other projects. Dickinson acknowledged her
sex symbol A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive.Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to ...
role, stating "Are my legs exploited? Well, that's all I have got to sell". While observing that "essentially a woman's job is being a woman", she disliked repeatedly doing ''Police Woman'' scenes " where the phone rings while I'm taking a bath". In 1978, the same year the show ended, Dickinson reprised her Pepper Anderson character on the television special ''Ringo'', co-starring with
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
and
John Ritter Johnathan Southworth Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was an American actor. Ritter was a son of the singing cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father of actors Jason and Tyler Ritter. He is known for playing Jack Tripper on the ...
. She also parodied the role in the 1975 and 1979
Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 5 ...
Christmas specials for NBC. She did the same years later on the 1987 Christmas episode of NBC's ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
''. According to Dickinson, ''Police Woman'' caused a surge of applications for employment from women to police departments around the United States. Dickinson and ''Police Woman'' influenced later female-starring, hour-long TV series such as ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Aa ...
'', ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...
'', ''
The Bionic Woman ''The Bionic Woman'' is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel ''Cyborg'' by Martin Caidin, starring Lindsay Wagner that aired from January 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978. ' ...
'', and ''
Cagney & Lacey ''Cagney & Lacey'' is an American police procedural drama television series that aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from March 25, 1982, to May 16, 1988. The show is about two New York City police detectives who lead very dif ...
''. In 1987, the Los Angeles Police Department awarded Dickinson an honorary doctorate, which led her to quip, "Now you can call me Doctor Pepper." On occasion during the 1970s, Dickinson took part in the popular ''
Dean Martin Celebrity Roast ''The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast'' is a series of television specials hosted by entertainer Dean Martin and airing from 1974 to 1984. For a series of 54 specials and shows, Martin and his friends would "roast" a celebrity. The roasts were patter ...
'' on television, and she was the guest of honor on August 2, 1977, roasted by a dais of celebrities that included
James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...
, Orson Welles, and her ''Police Woman'' series co-star Earl Holliman.


The 1980s

Having done a television series plus the miniseries ''Pearl (miniseries), Pearl'' (1978) about the Pearl Harbor bombing of 1941, Dickinson's career in feature films appeared to be in decline, but she returned to the big screen in
Brian De Palma Brian Russell De Palma (born September 11, 1940) is an American film director and screenwriter. With a career spanning over 50 years, he is best known for his work in the suspense, crime and psychological thriller genres. De Palma was a leading ...
's erotic thriller '' Dressed to Kill'' (1980), for which she gained considerable notice, particularly for a long, silent scene in a museum before the character meets her fate. The role of Kate Miller, a sexually frustrated New York housewife, earned her a 1981 Saturn Award for Best Actress. "The performers are excellent," wrote Vincent Canby in his July 25, 1980 ''The New York Times'' review, "especially Miss Dickinson." She took a less substantial role in ''Death Hunt'' (1981), which reunited her with Lee Marvin, and also appeared in ''Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen.'' Earlier that year, she had been the first choice to play the character Krystle Carrington on the television series ''Dynasty (1981 TV series), Dynasty'', but deciding she wanted to spend more time with her daughter, she turned it down; the role instead went to Linda Evans. In the mid-1980s, Dickinson declined the role of Sable Colby on the ''Dynasty'' spin-off, ''The Colbys''. After turning down her own Johnny Carson-produced prospective sitcom, ''The Angie Dickinson Show'', in 1980 after only two episodes had been shot because she did not feel she was funny enough, the private-eye series ''Cassie & Co.'' became her unsuccessful attempt at a television comeback. She then starred in several television movies, such as ''One Shoe Makes It Murder'' (1982), ''Jealousy'' (1984), ''A Touch of Scandal'' (1984), and ''Stillwatch'' (1987). She had a pivotal role in the highly rated miniseries ''Hollywood Wives (miniseries), Hollywood Wives'' (1985), based on a novel by Jackie Collins. In 1982, and again in 1986, Dickinson appeared in two of Perry Como's Christmas specials for the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network, in both of which she did something she was not known to have done before: singing. Dickinson later denied having sung on camera since the two Como specials in an interview with Larry King, which he conducted at the approximate time of her appearance in ''Duets (film), Duets.'' In motion pictures, Dickinson reprised her role as Wilma McClatchie for ''Big Bad Mama II'' (1987) and completed the television movie ''Kojak: Fatal Flaw,'' in which she was reunited with Telly Savalas. She co-starred with Willie Nelson and numerous buddies in the television Western ''Once Upon a Texas Train'' (1988). She was presented one of the Golden Boot Awards in 1989 for her contributions to Western cinema.


1990s and 2000s

In the ABC miniseries ''Wild Palms'' (1993), produced by Oliver Stone, she was the sadistic, militant sister of Senator Tony Kruetzer, played by Robert Loggia. That same year, she starred as a ruthless Montana spa owner in Gus Van Sant's '' Even Cowgirls Get the Blues'' with Uma Thurman. In November of that year, she walked off the set of a proposed ''This Is Your Life (American franchise), This Is Your Life'' special for her, refusing to participate in the show. In 1995, Sydney Pollack cast her as the prospective mother-in-law of Greg Kinnear in the romantic comedy ''
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'' starring Harrison Ford, a remake of the Billy Wilder Sabrina (1954 film), classic. She played
Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...
' wife in the thriller ''The Maddening'' and the mother of Rick Aiello and Robert Cicchini in the ''National Lampoon (magazine), National Lampoon'' comedy ''The Don's Analyst''. In 1997, she seduced old flame Artie (Rip Torn) in an episode of HBO's ''The Larry Sanders Show'' called "Artie and Angie and Hank and Hercules". Dickinson acted out the alcoholic, homeless mother of Helen Hunt's character in ''
Pay It Forward Pay it forward is an expression for describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying the kindness to others instead of to the original benefactor. The concept is old, but the particular phrase may have been coined by Lily Hardy Hammond in her 1 ...
'' (2000), the grandmother of Gwyneth Paltrow's character in the drama ''Duets (film), Duets'' (2000), and the mother of Arliss Howard's character in ''
Big Bad Love ''Big Bad Love'' is a 2001 film directed by Arliss Howard, who co-wrote the script with his brother, James Howard, based on a collection of short stories of the same name by Larry Brown.

Personal life

Dickinson was married to Gene Dickinson, a former football player, from 1952 to 1960. During her first marriage, Dickinson became close friends with John Kenneth Galbraith and Catherine Galbraith. Her extensive visits to them and her touring when Galbraith was U.S. Ambassador to India are amply recounted in his memoirs ''Ambassador's Journal'' and ''A Life in Our Times''. She had affairs with Frank Sinatra and reportedly John F. Kennedy. She denied the affair with Kennedy or refused to discuss the subject. Dickinson kept her married name after her first divorce. She married Burt Bacharach in 1965. They remained a married couple for 15 years, though late in their marriage they had a period of separation during which they dated other people. Her daughter with Bacharach, Lea Nikki, known as Nikki, was born a year after they were married. Three months premature, Nikki had chronic health problems, including visual impairment and was later diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Bacharach composed the music of the song "Nikki" for their daughter and Dickinson declined many roles to focus on caring for her. Bacharach and Dickinson eventually placed their daughter at the Wilson Center, a psychiatric residential treatment facility for adolescents in Faribault, Minnesota, where she remained for nine years.
Asperger's syndrome: The ballad of Nikki Bacharach
, ''The Independent'', January 8, 2007
Later, Nikki studied geology at California Lutheran University but her poor eyesight prevented her from pursuing it as a career. On January 4, 2007, Nikki took her life by suffocation in her apartment in the Ventura County suburb of Thousand Oaks; she was 40. In a joint statement, Dickinson and Bacharach said, Dickinson had a relationship with
Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as ...
in the 1980s. For several years in the 1990s, Dickinson dated television interviewer Larry King. In a 2006 interview with NPR, Dickinson stated that she was a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat. She campaigned for Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960 and supported Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. Also, ''Report of the County Chairman'' by James MichenerJet, October 1, 1964


Awards and nominations


Emmy Awards

* 1975 – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Best Actress in a Drama Series for ''Police Woman'' – nominated * 1976 – Best Actress in a Drama Series for ''Police Woman'' – nominated * 1977 – Best Actress in a drama Series for ''Police Woman'' – nominated


Golden Globe Awards

* 1960 – Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress, New Star Actress of the Year – won * 1975 – Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama, Best Actress in a Drama Series for ''Police Woman'' – won * 1976 – Best Actress in a Drama Series for ''Police Woman'' – nominated * 1977 – Best Actress in a Drama Series for ''Police Woman'' – nominated * 1978 – Best Actress in a Drama Series for ''Police Woman'' – nominated


Saturn Awards

* 1980 – Saturn Award for Best Actress, Best Actress for ''Dressed to Kill'' – won


Other

* 1987 – Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to television


Filmography


Film


Television films


Television series


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dickinson, Angie 1931 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from California Actresses from North Dakota American film actresses American people of German-Russian descent American television actresses American television personalities American women television personalities Best Drama Actress Golden Globe (television) winners New Star of the Year (Actress) Golden Globe winners Immaculate Heart College alumni People from LaMoure County, North Dakota People from Greater Los Angeles California Democrats Western (genre) film actresses Western (genre) television actors